Monday, April 23, 2018

Tambo Art Project Planting in Soma!

For those hankering to get their hands in some soil this Spring, please consider joining this wonderful trip to Soma. Tomoyuki Endo, a local rice farmer, Hideharu Asanuma, an architect with Youkei Design Group, along with Tomohito and Nagisa Minowa of Minowa Farms in Chiba, started the project in 2014. It was the first year residents of Soma were allowed to grow rice, and the group wanted to do something that would boost the morale of residents, attract new people to the area, and be beautiful, too. So far, so good.

The field sits just below a levy that is a favorite walking path for people in the area. While it is not as large as those in Aomori, it is a potent annual work of art. Visitors and locals alike have a chance to mix and mingle while planting rice by hand, sharing meals and stories. Over the years, friendships have grown, and while I don't know of any weddings yet, I wouldn't be surprised. For the people of Soma, it is a sign that people outside Fukushima Prefecture still think of them, and for the participants it is a chance to have a positive impact. Joining isn't an act of charity, but rather a way of collaboratively creating and building community.